The controversy surrounding It Ends With Us continues to escalate as the film’s director, Justin Baldoni, files a $250 million libel lawsuit against The New York Times. The lawsuit stems from allegations that the publication amplified claims by his co-star Blake Lively, accusing him of orchestrating a smear campaign.
Filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, the 87-page complaint, obtained by USA TODAY, outlines accusations of libel, false light invasion of privacy, promissory fraud, and breach of an implied-in-fact contract. Baldoni is joined by nine co-plaintiffs, including publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel, as well as producers Jamey Heath and Steve Sarowitz.
On New Year’s Eve, Justin Baldoni filed a lawsuit in response to a December 21 article published by The New York Times titled, “We Can Bury Anyone: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine.” The article highlighted claims by Blake Lively—also included in a legal complaint filed with the California Civil Rights Department that same day—alleging Baldoni orchestrated a public relations campaign against her.
In her 62-page legal complaint, Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment, alleging he made inappropriate comments about his genitalia and criticized her weight, including contacting her personal trainer just four months after she gave birth to her fourth child.
On Tuesday, Lively escalated the matter by filing a federal lawsuit against Baldoni in New York. This lawsuit, obtained by USA TODAY, reiterates her earlier allegations, claiming Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios CEO Jamey Heath engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior both in and outside the workplace.
Justin Baldoni’s Lawyer Pledges to Challenge New York Times
Attorney Bryan Freedman, representing Justin Baldoni, criticized The New York Times in a statement to USA TODAY. “This calculated smear campaign, orchestrated by Blake Lively and her team, saw The New York Times abandon journalistic integrity to cater to the agenda of two influential Hollywood figures,” Freedman stated.
He further alleged, “The Times relied on doctored and manipulated texts, deliberately omitting evidence that contradicted their narrative. By doing so, they pre-determined the story’s outcome, effectively assisting in a damaging PR campaign aimed at revitalizing Lively’s faltering public image while silencing organic online criticism. The irony is glaring.”
In her December 21 legal complaint, Blake Lively accused Justin Baldoni of working with a crisis management firm to orchestrate a PR campaign her lawyers described as “social manipulation designed to destroy Ms. Lively’s reputation” after she raised concerns about Baldoni’s alleged on-set behavior. The filing included text messages purportedly sent by Baldoni, offering a glimpse into the off-screen tensions.
In Baldoni’s lawsuit against The New York Times filed Tuesday, he alleges the publication used “cherry-picked and altered communications, stripped of essential context and deliberately edited to mislead readers.”
Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, stated on Tuesday, “Let there be no doubt: as we stand united to challenge The New York Times and their deceptive practices, we will also hold accountable those who have misused their power to harm my clients. While their side relies on partial truths, we stand by the full truth—and we have all the evidence to prove it. The public, as they did from the start, will see the truth for themselves.”
Lawyers Accuse NYT of Relying ‘Almost Entirely’ on Blake Lively’s ‘Unverified’ Claims
In Justin Baldoni’s legal complaint, his attorneys allege that New York Times reporter Megan Twohey requested their response to an “imminent 4,000-word exposé” about their alleged involvement in a smear campaign targeting Blake Lively.
The legal team claims they were asked to provide an on-the-record comment and identify any inaccuracies in Lively’s claims by noon EST on December 21, 2024—leaving them just 14 overnight hours to respond.
The complaint further alleges that, despite claiming to have “reviewed” evidence submitted by Baldoni’s team alongside other documents, the Times “relied almost entirely on Lively’s unverified and self-serving narrative, quoting it nearly verbatim while disregarding substantial evidence that refuted her claims and revealed her true motives.”
“But the Times did not care,” the complaint asserts. “The scope of the article and its coordinated release make it clear the Times had been quietly collaborating with Lively’s team for weeks, if not months. The Times actively participated in the legal strategy central to Lively’s agenda.”
The filing also contends that Lively’s initial decision not to file a lawsuit against Baldoni was deliberate. It claims this move was designed to avoid the scrutiny of the discovery process, including testifying under oath and producing her communications.
Blake Lively Counters with Official Lawsuit Against Justin Baldoni
Blake Lively’s legal team responded to Justin Baldoni’s lawsuit in a statement to USA TODAY, asserting that it does not alter the claims outlined in her California Civil Rights Department complaint.
Lively’s formal lawsuit alleges that Baldoni’s “unlawful discriminatory conduct” has caused her significant harm, stating she has “suffered, and continues to suffer, substantial damages.”
These damages include “severe emotional distress, pain, humiliation, embarrassment, belittlement, frustration, and mental anguish.” The lawsuit also seeks punitive damages, with the amount to be determined at trial.
In his libel lawsuit against The New York Times, Justin Baldoni’s legal team argues that the central claim of the article—suggesting that Baldoni and others orchestrated a retaliatory PR campaign against Blake Lively for speaking out about sexual harassment—is “categorically false and easily disproven.” The lawsuit contends that the article’s headline was designed to mislead readers.
Lively’s December 21 complaint accused Baldoni of invading her privacy by entering her makeup trailer uninvited while she was undressed, including during breastfeeding sessions with her infant son, Olin. However, Baldoni’s legal team points to text messages from Lively, including one in which she states, “I’m just pumping in my trailer if you wanna work out our lines.” Baldoni responded, “Copy. Eating with crew and will head that way.”
The complaint also features screenshots of conversations between Baldoni and his publicists, which offer a different perspective than the one presented by Lively. In one message, Baldoni asks, “How can we say somehow that we are not doing any of this—it looks like we are trying to take her down.” Publicist Melissa Nathan responds, “It doesn’t. They are doing all of this themselves and it’s really obvious.”
Baldoni’s legal team asserts, “If The Times truly reviewed the thousands of private communications it claimed to have obtained, its reporters would have seen indisputable evidence that it was Lively, not the plaintiffs, who orchestrated a calculated smear campaign.”